Ethical good

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In ethics, a good is a possible goal of human endeavor.

Goods play an important role especially in teleological ethics. The realization of one good can impair that of another good, which makes it necessary to weigh up interests . In the philosophical tradition (especially with Plato , Aristotle and Kant ) goods are sharply distinguished from “ the good ”. In this tradition, goods are ethically indifferent because they can be used in different ways. So z. B. Kant:

“ Mind, wit, discernment, and whatever else the talents of the mind may be called, or courage, determination, perseverance in purpose, as qualities of temperament, are undoubtedly good and desirable in some intentions; but they can also become extremely bad and harmful if the will, which is to make use of these natural gifts and whose peculiar quality is therefore called character, is not good. "( Foundation for the Metaphysics of Morals , p. 18)

Plato already distinguishes three classes of goods:

• intrinsic goods such as B. Consequential pleasure experiences: these are striven for for their own sake and not for their consequences
• extrinsic goods such as B. Medical treatments: these are sought for their consequences and not for their own sake
• Goods with intrinsic and extrinsic value such as B. health: these are sought both for their own sake and for their consequences. In this way, health provides both well-being and the prerequisite for pursuing our goals.

The “doctrine of goods” of Stoicism , which is formulated especially by Musonius , calls for a distinction between “true goods” and “sham goods”, between “apparent evil” and “true evil”, and an exercise ( asceticism ) in “despising sham goods” ".

Philosophical ethics understands the “ highest good ” to be the ultimate purpose of moral action, the highest action-guiding value, the highest goal.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Simone Kroschel: “Nature demands little”. Living naturally, simplicity and asceticism in ancient thought . Dissertation University of Düsseldorf, 2006. In: Prismata. Contributions to classical studies . Volume XVII. Peter Lang / Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften, Frankfurt am Main 2008, ISBN 978-3-631-58066-0 , p. 146 ( online )